The Great Mouse Detective and The Fox And The Hound (1986-1981)
In London, circa 1897, a young Scottish mouse named Olivia Flaversham (Susanne Pollatschek) is celebrating her birthday with her toymaker father, Hiram (Alan Young). Suddenly, Fidget (Candy Candido), a crippled bat with a peg leg, kidnaps Hiram. Fidget takes Hiram to Professor Ratigan (Vincent Price) who commands him to create a clockwork robot which mimics the Queen of the Mice so Ratigan can rule England. Hiram refuses to take part in the scheme, whereupon Ratigan orders Fidget to capture Olivia so he can feed her to his pet cat, Felicia. Olivia searches to find Basil of Baker Street (Barrie Ingham), a world-famous detective and Ratigan's archnemesis. Returning to London after a tour of duty in Afghanistan, Dr. David Q. Dawson (Val Bettin) stumbles upon Olivia, and helps her find Basil's residence. At first, Basil is reluctant, but when Olivia mentions Fidget, Basil realizes his chance to capture Ratigan. Basil and Dawson take Toby, Sherlock Holmes's pet dog, to track Fidget's scent, where they find him in a toyshop stealing clockwork mechanisms and toy soldiers' uniforms. Fidget later traps Olivia by ambushing her from inside a toy cradle. Basil and Dawson pursue Fidget, but become entangled and fall behind. While searching the shop, Dawson discovers Fidget's checklist, to which Basil does some chemical tests to discover the list came from the riverfront near the Thames. Basil and Dawson disguise themselves as sailors and go into a tavern called the "Rat Trap" and follow Fidget to Ratigan's headquarters. They are caught, and Ratigan ties them to a spring-loaded mousetrap connected with a Rube Goldberg machine. Ratigan sets out for Buckingham Palace, where Fidget and his accomplices kidnap the queen. Basil, along with Dawson, deduces the trap's weakness and escape just in time. Back at Buckingham Palace, Ratigan forces Hiram to operate the toy Queen, while the real Queen is taken to be fed to Felicia. The toy Queen declares Ratigan the ruler of all Mousedom, and he announces his tyrannical plans for his new "subjects". Just then, Basil, Dawson and Olivia save Hiram and the real Queen, and apprehend Fidget (along with Ratigan's other henchmen). Basil forces the mechanical queen to denounce Ratigan as an impostor and tyrant while breaking into pieces. The crowd, enraged by Ratigan's treason, start climbing onto him and defeating his shanty guards. Ratigan frees himself and escapes on his dirigible with Fidget, holding Olivia hostage. Basil, Dawson, and Hiram create their own craft with a matchbox and some small helium-filled balloons, held under the Union Jack. Ratigan throws Fidget (who can't fly) into the Thames River presumably to his death, and then attempts to drive the dirigible himself. Basil jumps on to the dirigible to confront Ratigan, causing him to crash straight into the Big Ben. Inside the clock, Basil rescues Olivia and safely delivers her to Hiram. Ratigan fights Basil until the clock bell tolls and Ratigan plunges, taking Basil with him. However, Basil manages to save himself just in time. Back at Baker Street, Basil and Dawson recount their adventures, as well as the queen's gratitude for saving her life. Afterwards, the Flavershams leave to catch their train. As Dawson tries to leave, a distraught new client persuades both Basil and Dawson to help her. Finally, Basil proclaims Dawson to be his "trusted associate, Doctor Dawson, with whom I do all my cases". A young red fox is orphaned after his mother is shot and killed by a hunter. Big Mama (Pearl Bailey) the owl, along with her two friends Boomer (Paul Winchell) the woodpecker, and Dinky (Dick Bakalyan) the finch, arrange for him to be adopted by Widow Tweed (Jeanette Nolan), who names him Tod (Keith Mitchell). Meanwhile, her neighbor Amos Slade (Jack Albertson) brings home a young coonhound puppy named Copper (Corey Feldman), and introduces him to his old hunting dog Chief (Pat Buttram) to be his guardian. One day, when Tod is unable to find someone to play with, he wanders off chasing a butterfly. At the same time, Copper starts smelling something strange, and wanders off sniffing until he encounters Tod as its source. After a brief introduction between the two, Tod and Copper become playmates and form a friendship to which they vow will last forever. But when Slade becomes frustrated at Copper's wandering, he places him on a leash. Undeterred, Tod decides to play with Copper at home, but wakes up Chief and Slade, who chase after him. Tweed intervenes, but Slade issues a stern warning that he will shoot Tod if he trespasses again. Hunting season soon comes and Slade takes his dogs into the wilderness for the interim. Meanwhile, Big Mama explains to Tod that his friendship with Copper cannot continue, as they were bred to be enemies, but he refuses to believe her. Months pass and Tod and Copper reach adulthood; Copper has become an experienced hunting dog, while Tod has grown into a handsome fox. On the night of Copper's return, Tod (Mickey Rooney) sneaks over to meet him. Copper (Kurt Russell) explains that while he still values him as a friend, things are different now. Chief awakens and alerts Slade, and another chase ensues. However, Copper, not wanting to see him killed, lets Tod go and then diverts Chief and Slade so he can escape. Unfortunately, Chief maintains his pursuit and chases Tod onto a railroad bridge, where Chief falls and is grievously injured. Enraged, Copper blames Tod for the accident and swears vengeance. Slade also blames Tod, leading Tweed to realize that her pet is no longer safe with her. She thus leaves him at a game preserve that restricts hunting. Slade and Copper notice this, however, and develop a plan for poaching Tod. The next morning, Big Mama finds Tod and introduces him to a female fox named Vixey (Sandy Duncan), whom he takes an immediate liking to; the feeling becomes mutual, and she helps him adapt to life in the forest. Slade and Copper later break into the preserve and begin poaching Tod, and although the pair eventually find him and Vixey, their lengthy pursuit culminates in an attack from a bear. Slade trips and is caught in one of his own traps, dropping his gun just out of reach. Copper fights the bear and is soon overwhelmed, but before the bear can finish him, Tod quickly intervenes and continues to battle the bear until they both fall down a waterfall. The bear is killed, while Tod survives, but is worn to an inch of his life. Copper approaches Tod as he recovers, stunned by his heroism in spite of current events. Slade arrives and prepares to shoot him, but Copper quickly interposes his body over Tod, refusing to move. Touched by the act, Slade lowers his gun and leaves with Copper, but not before the two friends share one last smile. Back home, Tweed nurses Slade back to health while the dogs rest. Copper, before falling asleep, smiles as he remembers the day when he and Tod became best friends. On a distant cliff top, Vixey joins Tod as he looks down at the scene from afar.